Ornaments on the Christmas Tree
by Queza De Santi
Summary: Eirika reminisces about her childhood. Christmas fic. FE8: Eirika x Seth.


Title: **Ornaments on the Christmas Tree**

Author: Kihana Dulay

Fandom: Fire Emblem (8): Sacred Stones

Pairing: Eirika x Seth

Theme: Holly and Snow

Disclaimer: I do not own FE8 nor any of the characters.

Word Count: 1 271

Date Finished: 24 December 2009

Note: I have never, as of yet, finished playing Fire Emblem, so please forgive me for any inaccuracies with the details. Also, biases are most probably the result of reading countless fanfics, especially **wolfraven80**'s, but this _is_ a gift for her, so deal with it! XDD **MERRY CHRISTMAS, WOLFRAVEN!!! 3**

[EDIT] I'm posting this here late, because I actually promised that I wouldn't post these till I finished all the Christmas fics I promised people. Although that didn't quite work out as planned. -___-

Summary: Eirika reminisces about her childhood.

The war had ended almost a month ago. The rebuilding of Renais, as well as the other kingdoms of Magvel, was still undergoing. It was amazing how much had changed a year since.

Eirika was in the forests quite a distance from the castle. Everyone had just gone home for the day from the construction of the capital, and she really should be resting after such grueling work, but she couldn't seem to bring herself to do so. Perhaps it was the date. It was Christmas Eve after all, not that anyone really paid attention anymore. There were simply more important things to think about. But for her, the date always held such charm. She couldn't forget it if she tried.

So, she stood alone amidst the trees, the snowflakes falling around her. Her marine blue hair whipped in the wind, as she gazed unseeingly into the white world before her eyes. Her thoughts were filled with memory upon memory of this very evening in years prior. And, although unbidden, tears dropped from her cheeks to the soft powder below.

When she was much younger, she could remember days spent decorating the castle with tinsel and holly. The evergreen leaves could be found along all the banisters and halls. Little candles would be lit in the ballrooms and dining rooms, giving off a cheery glow. In the living room, a large evergreen tree that reached the ceiling could be found a month prior to Christmas. And, although her parents would often be very busy running the kingdom during the day, after dinner, the family of four could be found in the sitting room making Christmas ornaments for the tree.

Eirika remembered sitting on her mother's lap, decorating little angels and Christmas balls, liberally sprinkling them with glitter and tying numerous bows. There were times she'd get distracted by her mother's long dark hair and end up tying ribbons there too. Her mother would simply laugh, a lilting sound, and tickle Eirika to make her release the silky strands. Her father and her twin brother would be at the other side of the room stringing popcorn or roasting chestnuts in the fireplace. At least, until her brother would get bored with that and begin throwing the food around. Amazingly, her father never really got mad at him, only retaliating instead, and that would result in her and her mother getting caught in the crossfire and eventually joining in the fight.

When her mother died, her father still maintained their traditions. He was definitely much busier, as he now had to run the kingdom by himself, but he always spared time for the twins. And when the holidays came around, he would still spend those precious hours after dinner making ornaments with them for the tree. A few years after that, he invited Seth to join their little family tradition, as Seth had just lost his own father then. And those evenings always ended with Ephraim starting some fight or another, whether it be with popcorn, chestnuts or pillows as the case may be.

Then, the war happened. Eirika couldn't believe it had only been a year since then. Last Christmas, the twins were together, but their father was gone and their castle captured. They spent that eve not making ornaments as they used to, but preparing weapons and checking strategies. They didn't fall asleep on soft downy mattresses after Ephraim staged a fight of popcorn and pillows. Instead, they fought an actual battle with swords and bloodshed before resting on the stony ground inside their tents.

Eirika never complained of the hardships they had to go through in the war. After all, she had to remain strong for her people. And even after all they had endured, she couldn't completely think badly of what happened. There were many blessings to be thankful for amidst the trials they faced. But a part of her did long for those carefree nights when she was filled completely with the warmth from simply being with her family. She knew that nothing could really replace those moments.

As she stood unmoving on that snowy field, lost in her childhood memories, she failed to realize when she was no longer alone. She was startled from her reverie when a warm cloak of deep burgundy was draped comfortably over her shoulders. She looked up to find eyes much warmer than the cloak staring concernedly at her.

"Seth." She wasn't quite as surprised as she should have been to see him there. He always seemed to know where to find her.

"My lady, you've been out here for quite some time. It would be prudent to warm yourself inside and get some rest." Although he said it with a flat tone, she could hear his gentleness and concern.

"You've been crying," he softly said, as he lifted a hand to wipe away traces of her tears.

Eirika smiled in spite of herself and reassured him, "I'm fine, Seth. Just a little nostalgic, I suppose. Did my brother send you to look for me?"

He gazed at her in silence for a moment. "He did not say anything, although I'm sure he was quite worried for you. It's Christmas Eve tonight, is it not?"

Her eyes widened in surprise at his perceptiveness, before they drifted to the snowy powder beneath her feet. "Yes, it is."

Seth said nothing more, and a companionable silence enveloped the two as the snow continued to fall in gentle flakes around them. After a while, Eirika shook her head, as if to get rid of the mood she had fallen into. Seth merely glanced at her out of the corner of his eye, as she seemed to force herself to smile. She turned to him not too long after, stating that they had better head inside before her brother sent out a search party for them in his worry. And, she had only taken one step before arms reached out and pulled her to Seth's warm body.

"Seth?" Eirika timidly queried in her surprise.

Seth didn't know what to say, or rather how to say it. He wanted to take back that year of war, so that she'd never have to experience something so painful and difficult. He wanted to give her back her father and her friends lost to her amidst the battles and bloodshed. He so wished to return her to the happy and carefree years of her childhood. But more than anything else, he wanted to keep her here in his arms and wrap her in his warmth so tightly that she'd never have to feel the cold sting of loneliness on this day ever again.

"Princess Eirika," he began, his voice muffled in her hair, "Merry Christmas." With that, one of his hands opened in front of her to reveal a tiny sprig of holly tied with a silver-lined red bow.

Eirika gasped upon seeing the ornament, and tears once more welled in her eyes. She gently cupped Seth's hand, which was holding the holly, before turning in his arms and pressing a kiss to his lips. As she broke away, she looked up into his warm eyes and offered him a watery smile.

"Pri—" Eirika placed a finger to his lips, forestalling any comment the russet-haired man could make.

"Thank you, Seth. Merry Christmas."

And although the Silver Knight had said nothing, Eirika had understood, and she was grateful. She only hoped that he understood what she wanted to say as well – that as long as he was by her side keeping her warm, she'd never feel lonely ever again.


End file.
